Correspondence.

citadel , and we find his Holiness condescending to turn the artillery of invective from the Prince of blood and iron , Dr . Gumming , of Scotland , and all their aggressive allies of toast-drinking , upon the cosmopolitan brotherhood of Freemasons , a brotherhood which may be said to represent tho inoffensiveness and loyalty of all the communities into which our race is divided . No weapon formed against

it will prosper . Nor oven were the Pope able , as he might possibly bo willing , to institute a raid upon its members , as is recorded to have been made on tho children of Bethlehem , would ho find himself nearer his mark than Herod : the Order would carry on , iu grandeur and power , the interminable existence which had its birth iu the unknown ages of antiquity . But if circumstances do not admit of his

Holiness having recourse to tho carnal weapons so much in vogue amongst his predecessors , ho seems to consider it a duty to exhibit the animus , the manner of spirit he is of , and to lot the world at largo know his sentiments aud tho principles which actuate them . To this end he addresses a letter to one of his Bishops , iu which he bestows upon him a meed of paternal benedictions for his laugnago

and attitude towards Freemasonry . Whatever bo the " Secret Mysteries , " or the " Nefarious character of the sect , " iu tho estimation of its avowed foes , a very fair and rational opinion may be formed in tho matter by the simple process of sotting it in direct contraposition to the subjoined unerring and unalterable dicta . " What is particularly useful is tho perspicacity with which you

demonstrate to all attentive minds the real tendency of tho taking words Fraternity and Equality , which have deceived aud seduced so many , and the true origin and object of tho much boasted liberties of conscience , of public worship , aud of the press . After reading your work , no ono can doubt that all this came from Freemasonry , to overturn civil and religions order , and , consequently , tho Church has

wisely condemned those who practise aud defend such liberties . Freemasons have here , indeed , wherein to glory , their enemies themselves being their judges . The free and healthy action of that voice in man on which rests all real moral responsibility : tho liberty to worship God in public , each one according to his faith and light ,

and a press untrammelled by caprice or apprehension , not alone a source of information , but at onco the mouthpiece and tho bar of public opinion . " Such liberties " ( the Pope himself does not speak of license or abuse ) ho and his Church condemn . They havo the sanction and approval of Freemasonry . Yours fraternally , C . B . F .

Answers To Correspondents.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS .

E . VQUIRER . —The snbject of your communication will be treated in an editorial next week . DR . LOTH . —A Review of your work , which is duly to hand , shall appear next week . We have also to acknowledge receipt of New England Freemason , Nos . 1 to 15 .

National Great Priory Of The Order Of The Temple.

NATIONAL GREAT PRIORY OF THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

AT tho Cannon Street Hotel , on the 14 th instant , tho Earl of Limerick , Great Prior , on the throne , the Report of the Council was amended as to tho clause concerning Past Panic in the Order , which is recommended to bo restored in its entirety . Tho motion that the Memorial from Dorsetshire should bo read and submitted to each Prcceptory for consideration was carried by a largo majority .

THE GARDEN IN MAY . —In tho garden so much depends on tho weather during May , that it is difficult to lay dow ; i general rides . It is theoretically the mouth for planting out bedding plants , but iu the northern parts of the kingdom , and even the north-eastern English counties , they certainly ought not to be trusted to the beds till tho last week , or perhaps , in some seasons , tho first week in June . It is

hotter to bo in no hurry about it until the weather as quite settled . So , too , dahlias may be planted out , if warm days and nights have sot in . Manure-water should bo administered towards the end of the month to such roses as arc in bud . It will havo to bo continued vigorously during June , if really good roses aro desired . Do not leave too many buds on the standards iu such a case , and where

threo arise from one stalk , mercilessly uipp off the centre one . Late autumn-flowering annuals should be sown at ouce , and hcartcase may now be propagated by cuttings to flower at that soasou . French beans and scarlet , runners must be sown in the kitchen garden . Early celery can be pricked out . Watering must be carefully attended to amongst the growing crops , aud especially iu the si rawborry-beds . This often makes the difference between a good and bad crop oi' this fruit ,

while all vegetables which are quickly grown are more succulent and tender . Turnips must bo watered in dry weather , or they will all he lost . Potatoes should be carefully from freed weeds , and earthed up as they advance . Last year it was found that the earliest crops were best able to stand against disease ; and besides planting early , lot them be gathered in us soon as ripe . They only deteriorate by being left in the wet . — " Cassell ' s Vamily Magazine . "

IIOM . OWW ' S l ' ll . l . S A 5 U OlNlUKNT . — Fc ' . V •. lilllltlit-. i lirQ vaOVO liL-tiOIll'tOlvinL ' , and none move ominous limn r . lcera ' . io ' . is uu •"j suiTi ' . co of the In . ily . V . dievevi . v they arc situated , it is difficult to care them r . uic . is tioa ' , iudieiou .- ! y with same cooling , healinir , invigorating application , liko thU nevcr-lVHim ; Ointment . It lms worked wonders in making li . id leg , strong and sound , oven

when tho power of tho blood vessels has nearly been destroyed , and ii'ma-t entire stagnation of tho cir « ilnti <; n has rendered every other curative means abortive . Xo sore , wound , or ul . « - can withstand its hen ling influence , which can bo most benficially exerted during the summer months , when the circulation becomes more active and more easily controllable by proper purifying , soothing antl strengthening agents ,

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

" Jeanne Dubarry " at the Charing Cross—Comic Opera at the Gaiety . MR . Field ' s experiments at his little theatre at Charing Cross have been generally successful . With "Blue Beard" and "Tho Now Magdalen " he made good hits , but his last di p into tho dramatic luek y-bag is hardly likely to bo so profitable . Mr . Herman , the

author ot "Jeanne Dubarry , " is evidently inexperienced in the art of writing for thestage . In attempting to write dialogue worthy of the exalted personages of his play ho occasionally oversteps that bonndary which separates the sublime from the ridiculous , and tho most dramatic situation is marred by being too long deferred and too much prolonged . Jeanne Dubarry is , of course , the notorious Madame

Dubarry . Sho is represented as being , at tho sanio time , mistress of tho King Louis XV ., and the sharer , under the name of Delornio , of au honest passion with a satirical writer named Rene de Jonvency . Rene ' s attacks are directed chiefly against tho King and Mdme . Dubarry , and lead ultimately to his arrest . Madame Dubarry ' s influence with the king procures

a pardon , but on learning the real name and position of tho lad y whom ho had loved , under tho name of Delornio , Rene rejects her aid with scorn . His life is saved by tho ingenious appeals to tho king of a girlish cousin , who had long loved him in secret , and tho double discomfiture of the Dubarry ends the play , she being repulsed by the King , who has discovered her secret passiou and is rejected by her humble lover . Miss Edith Lynd is tho representative- of Jeanuo

Dubarry , and an admirable one in physical respects , but Miss Lynd has much to learn of stage business , and at present is deficient in dramatic force . Mr . Sidney , as Rene , achieved tho success of tho evening , and is a welcome acquisition to tho ranks of our young actors . The play might havo mot with more favour had tho stage of the Charing Cross boon largo enough to represent fairly tho grandeur and pomp of a court , but no mechanical accessories could havo made it a

genuine success . " Jeanne Dubarry" is followed by an Operetta , now to London , but already well-known in the provinces , entitled " Cattarina , " the joint work of Messrs . Recce aud Clay . This little piece is worthy of the reputation of its authors ; tho libretto is well written , and tho music very pretty and catching . Miss Kato Santlcy appears in tho role and no more need bo said to show how well it is tilled . A new

tenor is introduced to us in tho person of Mr . Walsham , who possesses a very sweet , if not powerful voice , and who only needs a little stage training to make him really valuable in English opera . " Cattarina" was received with great and well deserved favour Mr . Holliugshead is a man of tact , and ready sympathy with public taste ; accordingly ho docs not offer ns a solid joint of Shakspeare

during this hot weather , but a salad of comic opera . With a well appointed and well trained French company , in temporary possession of tho GAIETY , wo aro promised the production of some of the best works of Aubor , Herold , llalovy , Boioldiuu , & c . No opera bouffo , be it understood , but genuine comic opera . Already we have seen " Les Monyquotaircs do la Heine , " by Ilalovy , and " La Damo

Blanche , " by Bnieldieu , and tho programme will bo frequently changed through tho short season . Some of tho French artists havo already taken their places as public favonrities ; M . Herbert and Laurent , the tcnors , M . Dauphin the bass , and Millies . Albcrtand Arnaud Roquos soon confirmed the reputation which they brought with them . Wo are not inclined , as aro some of otic critical friends , to exalt foreign art and artists at the expense of our o vn , and to consider

that a Frenchman , merely because ho is a Frenchman , must bo a better actor than any wo can boast . Ou the contrary , so far as uctcrs aro concerned , thero tie , on tho English stage , men who , in their peculiar lines , eauiuit be surpassed nor hardly equalled in Fiance ; but French companies play together better than English ones , there is an air of homogeneity about their performances which makes them appear like a well trained regiment instead of , as is too often tho caso with our own actors , a fortuitous concourse of atoms .

Railway Traffic Returns.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS .

The following statement shows tho receipts for traffic on I he undermentioned railways for the past week , as compared with the corresponding week in 1874 : — Siilos npon . Roeeipts . Railway . 1 S 75 ] . * 75 1871 i' I '

Caledonian 737 ' .- n 4 , 1-25 4 ' ) " ' ><) Glasgow and South Western . . 3 li "> i- L ! vS ! 5 15 ,: ' 47 Great Eastern .... 7-W oi . O ' . H ¦ ' .:,. <)]{) Great Northern .... rj : _ ' : s r > 7 , ln 5 51 ,. ' ! . s 5 Great Western .... lf > 2 ~ , ll .: y > ' !<) IC-V- ' -O Lancashire and Yorkshire . . 1 L ! 0 l > 7 . !' , ! 2 lit > , C 2 l . London iind Uright-. / ii . . . 8 ?;' - !• : •: ' ! . " 8 !• . ' . w . lOl

London , Chatham and Dover . . 15 'iJ- ? , _! . ]) 2 1 ! J , 157 ' . ondon and North Wos- nvn . . I . o ' -ij IS ? . ¦! , "> K ^ . COo London and South Western . . fi' 2 'H •. !¦ "~ , i }[ ri Z ' . M ' rJ . London , Tilbury and Southend . 4 '> Msuiche . ster and SheHie ' 14 . . 2 ~ U \ " () . : ¦ ' , ' , ! . 20 . -03 Midland 0 o !» : V 121 , 183 101 . ! - 5 * Metropolitan H ( J . ' . ' . \ .: ' . , ' -:. ; " 0 <

„ „ District ... 8 _ 5 , 331 4 , 57 . S ,, ,, St .. John ' s Wood . 1 i •!! ");') 440 North British K 3 i ) 4 . 1 .. " J 3 M : "¦ '•?) 0

Sovth Maston 1 ,: 03 13 ! , 7-l : > 101 , 3 ( 0 North London .... 1 : ! 7 . i'il COM North Staffordshire Railway . . IfiO 10 . ;; 17 O . r . GU „ „ Canal . . 1 ; 3 1 . US 7 l . oiKJ 8 onih Eastern .... 350 SH , 7 i ) 3 83 , 113